wolmerica INDIANAPOLIS — The majority of Pike Township voters told their local school district that they were willing to invest more of their tax dollars into the district.
More than 58% of Pike Township voters approved a $16 million referendum for the Pike Township Metropolitan School District during Tuesday’s primary election, allowing the district to increase its tax rate to $0.24 per $100 of net assessed value, giving them almost $16 million to cover various needs, including:
- Loss learning enhancement programming and staff recruitment currently supported through federal COVID-19 relief funds: $4,500,000
- Teacher/staff retention and recruitment: $9,000,000
- School safety and security programs: $1,000,000
Updates: 2024 Indiana Primary Election
According to previous reports, these funds would help sustain programming for the district, increase salaries and benefits for various staff members and teachers, maintain and enhance the district’s safety infrastructure and increase safety/security personnel.
In the state of Indiana, school referendums are a mechanism through which districts ask voters to fund general operating expenses or specific education initiatives. The length of a referendum is eight years and school districts are required to outline the purposes for the funding.
Two other Central Indiana school districts were also asking for their respective voters to approve an operating referendum during Tuesday’s election, including Brown County Schools and Blue River Valley Schools. Those results were not made available prior to the publication of this story.
Central Indiana voters to decide on school referendums
For Brown County Schools, they were asking voters to renew its operating levy at a higher rate, a rate of $0.10 per $100 of assessed property value. This increase would help support teachers and staff with a pay increase, as well as fund the addition of six positions in the areas of special education, career and technical education and the arts.
For the Blue River Valley Schools, the district asked voters to approve a a $0.19 tax levy per $100 of assessed property value aimed at increasing teacher pay and making the district more competitive in order to “attract and retain quality teachers.”
This story will be updated when further election results are made available.
